Comfort

Even the softest suspension struggles with some bumps

If you avoid the flashy 19- and 20-inch wheels (the biggest
available) and stick with the regular suspension, the Audi A6 is a
comfortable enough car most of the time. That said, it can still
struggle to stay settled over the worst UK road surfaces.

The sportier-looking S-line models come with sports suspension,
which makes them less forgiving, although Audi does still offer the
regular set-up as a no-cost option.

Whichever you go for, the A6 is good at shutting out wind and road
noise, plus all of the engines are quiet at a steady cruise.

You do have to work the 2.0-litre diesel a bit harder than the other
engines to get up to speed in the first place, though.

Dashboard layout

Quite simple and very classy

The A6's instruments are easy to read at a glance, and you operate
most of the car's functions by scrolling through well-ordered menus on
a colour screen.

Sadly, the control system isn't as user-friendly as the one in the
BMW5-series
because it takes a lot of familiarisation before you can tell the
shortcut buttons apart without taking your eyes off the road.

More positively, the A6 feels classier inside than any other car
available at this price; all of the buttons and control knobs have a
slick action, and the general ambience is one of luxury and quality.

Easy to drive

Specify the Audi A6 with a 3.0-litre diesel engine and an automatic
gearbox and it makes building speed effortless.

In fact, even the cheapest, 2.0-litre diesel won't leave you feeling
like you're struggling to keep up with traffic.

This engine comes with a manual gearbox that has a light and easy
action; there’s no automatic alternative. Unfortunately, the pedals on
manual A6s are offset to the right of the seat, which can cause
discomfort when you're driving in town and regularly pumping the clutch.

This is also a problem in manual versions of the BMW 5-series and MercedesE-class.
However, changing lanes is slightly easier in the A6 than it is in
these rivals because it offers a better rear view.

This also helps with parking, and while you can’t see exactly where
the car ends, standard front and rear parking sensors mean this isn’t
an issue.

Fun to drive

The Audi A6 has many strengths, but fun isn't one of them because its
steering feels vague and overly light at speed.

It’s a pity, because the A6 actually grips well in corners, and it's
suspension does a good job of preventing excessive lean.

Choose a quattro four-wheel-drive version of the A6 and it feels
very surefooted even in treacherous conditions. But compared with a
BMW 5-series or a JaguarXF, it's still
rather dull and uninvolving to drive.

Reliability

Jaguar and Mercedes have better customer satisfaction records

The Audi A6 might feel classier than its rivals, but it didn’t
perform as well in the 2013 JD Power customer satisfaction survey,
where it finished 68th out of 116 cars. The BMW 5-series was 43 places
ahead, in 25th, while the Mercedes E-class came 13th and the Jaguar XF 3rd.

Like all these rivals, the A6 comes with a three-year warranty, but
this limits you to 60,000 miles, whereas BMW and Mercedes cover you no
matter how many miles you do.

Fuel economy

Frugal engines, but some rivals are even more efficient

The most popular engine is the 2.0-litre diesel, which returns an
official average of 57.6mpg. That's comparable with the Jaguar XF 2.2,
but nearly five mpg off what an equivalent BMW 5-series or Mercedes
E-class manages.

Choose a 3.0-litre diesel A6 and you will be lucky to see the
53.3mpg that it achieves in official tests, while the most powerful
diesel model - the Bi-turbo - is capable of 44.8mpg, but not if you
make full use of its awesome performance.

You'll have to do minimal mileage for the 2.0-litre petrol to make sense.

Affordability

The 2.0-litre diesels make most financial sense

Most A6s end up in the hands of company car drivers, for whom the
2.0-litre diesel model is the most affordable choice. However, it
still has higher CO2 emissions than the BMW 520d, so will cost more in
company car tax.

The A6 is cheaper than the BMW to buy privately, though, and
servicing, insurance and resale values are all competitive.

Safety

Very safe and stacks of kit

Like most of its rivals, the Audi A6 earned the maximum five-star
rating when it was crash tested by car safety specialists Euro NCAP.

It also scored better than the Jaguar XF and Mercedes E-class for
adult and child occupant protection, although the BMW 5-series matched
it for child safety and provided even greater protection for adults.

The one area where the A6 disappointed was pedestrian protection -
all of its key rivals scored better here.

Six airbags are fitted, along with a stability control system that
helps you regain control if the car goes into a skid.

Standard spec

Even the cheapest, SE models come with leather seats, a digital radio
and a satellite-navigation system that uses fancy-looking Google Earth maps.

S-line versions of the Audi A6 look sportier inside and out, while
the Black Edition brings bigger wheels, a BOSE sound system and
privacy glass.

Our favourite version

SE 2.0 TDI ultra, list price
£30,340

Options you should add

Metallic paint (£655)

The verdict8The verdict

The verdict

The Audi A6 is a
practical car that makes you feel special every time you climb inside,
and if you go for the 2.0-litre diesel version it makes a pretty
affordable company car. A BMW 520d is even
cheaper to run, though, and if you spec it right it will be more fun
to drive.